Ear Cleaning

I bought some ear cleaner on-line as my tom cat Smudge always has very waxy ears - no mites though. I clean his ears most days by wiping them with a tissue.

Today I received the ear cleaner, and gave a squirt in both ears. Poor Smudge went mental. I think I squeezed too hard. Anyway it worked a treat. His ears are pristine clean. In future, I will be careful how much I squirt. Mind you if he sees it coming, he will bolt!!

Hello there,
You said you bought the ear cleaner on- line. Out of curiosity, what
website did you purchase the ear cleaner from ? I agree with Opus88.
Her suggestions are very good ones. You don't want to spray the ear
cleaner directly into his ear. If you spray the ear cleaner in his ear
you also have no idea how much ear cleaner is going into his ear at
one time. Good luck to you and your kitty. Eve

Yes I will definitely do what you mention. I followed instructions on bottle. It is one with a squirty top, but difficult to gauge how much is going in ear. It will be cotton ball from moistened cotton ball from now on.

I must say it worked great as his ears are really free from wax now. I shall only do it when I feel he needs it. Don't want to freak him out and chase him round the room. When I sprayed one ear, of course he made off at a great rate and I had to catch him to do other one. Poor Smudge, I hated upsetting him like that. We are friends again now!!

I was talking about Advantage spot on treatment to prevent fleas. I could not get into the site you mention above. What is the warning? What should we do to prevent fleas on our cats? I will try again to get onto the site. Thanks for warning.

maddie I will copy out part of the article...its a warning only to be cautious with usage. seems its mostly when cats are given a dosage or product recommended for dogs.......
It doesn't say Advantage spot on treatments...just spot on treatments..so I assume this means them all.
copy..
In mid-March the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a free, public webinar titled “Evaluation of Pet Spot-on Flea and Tick Products and Next Steps.”

The purpose of the webinar was to discuss findings from a five-year study of flea and tick products. The increased scrutiny was prompted by rising rates of adverse effects from these products.

"(Current) label warnings simply are not working,” according to Steve Owens, assistant administrator of EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances.

To combat it, the EPA is calling for new labeling requirements including warnings, a listing of possible symptoms, better labeling instructions, dosage guidelines for consumers and even possible restrictions of certain ingredients. No products are being banned, but Owens says EPA isn't ruling out such drastic measures in the future.

Dr. Becker's Comments:

In April of last year, the EPA issued an advisory about “spot-on” chemical products. These are products applied to the neck or back of dogs and cats as a flea and tick preventive.

The advisory was issued due to a significant increase in reported adverse reactions -- everything from mild skin irritation to seizures and death. In 2008, over 44,000 reactions presumed to be tied to spot-on products were reported by pet owners, veterinarians and other animal caretakers.

If you’re wondering why the EPA is involved in regulation of a pet medication, it’s because these particular products are considered pesticides, and pesticides fall under the EPA’s jurisdiction.

At the time the advisory was issued, manufacturers of spot-on flea and tick products predictably pointed out that no cause-and-effect relationship between the products and reported adverse reactions had been confirmed.

Common sense and the first-hand experience of people who have used the products, however, points to the extremely high likelihood that 44,000 reports in a single year do indeed link application of the products with adverse reactions.

And in fact, the 44,000 reported incidents in 2008 is a significant jump from 28,000 the prior year, and includes 600 deaths.

In my opinion, the risks of these products are simply too great to warrant their routine (monthly) use. I encourage my dog and cat owner clients to avoid these pesticides in favor of safer alternatives.

I’ll discuss my recommendations for harmless, natural flea and tick control a little later in this article.
What the EPA Found

Most adverse reactions were seen in dogs weighing between 10 and 20 pounds.
Reactions in mixed breed dogs were most commonly reported, however, the Chihuahua, Shih Tzu, Miniature Poodle, Pomeranian, Dachshund, Maltese, Yorkshire Terrier and Bichon Frise seem particularly at risk.
Products containing cyphenothrin and permethrin were especially problematic for small breed dogs.
Most incidents occurred in dogs under three years old, likely at their first exposure to a spot-on product.
Adverse reactions for both dogs and cats were primarily skin, GI tract and nervous system related. Skin reactions included redness, itching, hair loss, sores and ulcers.
Gastrointestinal symptoms included vomiting, diarrhea and salivation.
Reported nervous system symptoms included lethargy, nervousness, ataxia (movement problems), tremors and seizure.
A number of adverse reactions in cats were the result of the cat either being treated with a product intended for dogs, or through exposure to a treated dog. Cats treated with products intended for dogs had an especially rate of serious reactions and fatalities.
Inert ingredients in spot-on products were generally assumed to contribute to toxicity.
Dosage ranges were considered to be too wide in some cases.
Product labeling was identified as needing a revamp in many cases.
The EPA’s Companion Animal Studies guidelines are insufficient to predict the toxicity of spot-on products.

this is only part of the second part of the full article. try copy and pasting the site to open it yourself to be able to read the full article.

Thank you so much for writing out that lengthy article. Oh my goodness it sounds so scary. I have used spot on products for many years without any problems. I don't use them monthly, only when needed.

I comb Smudge with a flea comb at least once a week to ascertain whether he needs treatment. Sometimes I may catch a single flea, and believe with regular combing I need not use the spot on. Often I do not use it for months on end. He is outdoors a lot, so obviously I must be aware if he has fleas.

I remember my daughter had to have her house fumigated many years ago because of fleas. We have to be careful of our surroundings and our cats health. Thank you so much for your help.

I read the weather is really bad where you are. We have not had any snow in UK but very bad storms with a lot of flooding in places.

The Content on this Site is presented in a summary fashion, and is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. Med Help International, Inc. is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this Site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. We disclaim all responsibility for the professional qualifications and licensing of, and services provided by, any physician or other health providers posting on or otherwise referred to on this Site and/or any Third Party Site. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties. By using this Site you agree to the following Terms and Conditions. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your physician or 911 immediately.